Page 30 of Voracious

She glances over her shoulder again, and I can see the desperation and fear in her eyes as she looks at the guy who gave her the blade – then her eyes slip to me for a split second.

I try to step forward, but Barry grabs my arm again. “I know you want to go after her. I get it. I would burn this place down for Lisa, but we need to be smart about this. Causing a scene will only draw attention to her. If Bernadette sees her, it’s game over. If you think the way she tortures you is bad, imagine what she’d do to Stacey.”

I fist my hands at my sides again. “We’re following them.”

“Of course we are.” Barry pulls out his phone and, within seconds, hacks the venue’s security system. “A room was booked a few minutes ago.”

The guy who Stacey was sitting on rubs his hands down his face, grabs at his shaggy blonde hair and sits at the booth with his elbows on his knees. He’s shaking his head and keeps glancing at the door she went through.

Who the fuck are you?

I step forward again, fully intending to pummel the fucker into the ground, but yet again Barry grabs my arm, and I glare at him.

“Eighth floor. We’ll get him later, sir. Miss Rhodes needs us more.”

And here I thought I was the boss.

I quickly check on Bernadette, Archie and Cassie. They’re still sitting at the booth – drunk as fuck and flirting with the waiter. I pull out my phone and shoot her a text to buy me some time.

Me:One of your clients is here. She wants an hour with me. What do I do?

Cassie is insistent that if I agree to marry her – not that I ever will – then I’ve not to sleep with others, meaning my sexual slavery comes to an end. But Bernadette is still refusing that condition since I make her a lot of money and popularity from it.

She glances down at her phone then grins widely as she shows Archie the screen.

Bernadette:What a stupid question. When have we ever turned down a client? I’ll have a car pick us up once you’re done.

She’ll eventually know it’s a lie – the clients pay her directly, and I get a cut. She usually gives them three days to settle the bill after the session. I’ll be punished, but I guess it’ll be worth it.

We ride the elevator up to the eighth floor, both our guns drawn but hidden within our suit jackets. The hotel-room door is still open, and when we reach it, I lower my aim while Barry swears under his breath and locks the door behind us.

Standing in the middle of the room, splatters of blood all over her, her dress ripped down the middle, Stacey holds the blade, hand raised to the side as tears stream down her face. Her chest is rising and falling, her lips trembling as she gasps.

Fuck.

11

KADE

Idrop the gun slowly and approach her – careful steps so I don’t startle her, since she seems to be going into shock. “Stacey, it’s me,” I say gently, and when I step over the ginger guy, I try not to look at the gaping holes in his face.

The other two have their throats cut – one on the bed, his trousers down; the other next to the bathroom.

This isn’t a moment to be mega proud of Stacey, considering she’s caked in blood and heading for a breakdown, staring at me with wide eyes, but I fucking am proud.

She fought.

When I reach her, shielding the exposed parts of her body from Barry, I lift my hand to her wrist, sliding my fingers under hers to peel them away from the blade.

Her eyes lift to me as I toss aside the blade. “I k-killed them.”

I take her face in my hands, and all I see is the trauma in her eyes, the way she’s not filling her lungs. “You need to breathe, Stacey.”

“They’re dead,” she says, shaking. “They’re… I…”

“Breathe. You need to breathe.”

“They tried t-to…”

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